


A Sealed Surprise

by IAmOnlyPartlyMajestic



Series: FjorClay Week 2020 [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Day 3: Fairy Tale/Mythology, Fjorclay Week 2020, Gen, M/M, Mixed Media, Selkies, fanfic and fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23820736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmOnlyPartlyMajestic/pseuds/IAmOnlyPartlyMajestic
Summary: “There you are!” Jester placed her hands on her hips in a scolding manner and jumped off the table. Her jokingly stern expression quickly melted into a smile. “What took you so long?”Caduceus hummed before answering. “Someone dropped a cloak and I returned it.”
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Fjord
Series: FjorClay Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719838
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	A Sealed Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> For FjordClay Week 2020, Day 3: Fairy Tale/Mythology  
> Based off of this tumblr post: [https://howtobangyourmonster.tumblr.com/post/170171282758/kurara-black-blog-howtobangyourmonster]

The roar of the tavern rushed over Caduceus, a contrast to the silence of the empty plaza and its closed-down shops. It seemed as if the entirety of the town was congregated in the packed building. What little he made out amidst the noise of cheers and whispers was that a quite notable bard had made a surprise visit. And they had crafted a new song. 

Caduceus looked over the sea of people to search for his friends—quite easily, actually, due to his height.

“Caduceus!” A voice to his left called him. He quickly found Jester waving her arms wildly to gain his attention. She was standing on a table repeating his name at increasing volumes. Caduceus smiled in acknowledgment and attempted to squeeze his slim body through the throng.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49813354996/in/dateposted-public/)

A weight fell on his foot. 

He looked down to see a thick dark cloak slumped over his boots almost blending in with the ebony wood floor. Caduceus quickly gathered up the pile of fabric before it could get kicked into the legs of the crowd and damaged. The firbolg draped the cloak over his arm and admired its softness. It felt really warm under his hand. It may have been due to the gradual heat of the tavern and its dim lighting, but the fabric seemed to almost pulsate a sensation not unlike the fur on a living body. If Caduceus had to compare the fabric to anything, it would be to his own fur. He stroked the cloak a bit longer, reminded of his childhood having brushed his siblings’ fur often, particularly after a tumble in some bramble bush.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49812813808/in/dateposted-public/)

He glanced around searching for the cloak’s owner. Nearby, a half-orc sat on a stool next to the bar facing away from Caduceus and towards the makeshift stage where the bard was tuning their lute. Caduceus strode up to an empty space next to the stranger and held up the lost cloak. 

“Is this yours? It fell on the floor.” Caduceus gave the other man a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I picked it up before it could get stepped on.”

The half-orc jerked in surprise, his eyes carelessly roaming over the firbolg but then widened at the sight of his cloak. His scarred lips twisted in an anxious grimace and his eyes did not meet Caduceus’s, still fixated on the folded cape. “Uh—yeah, it is.” He raised his hands in a clutching motion as if to grab the cloak but didn’t touch the fabric.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49813354961/in/dateposted-public/)

Caduceus continued smiling as he pressed the cloak into the other’s hands. “Your cloak is very soft. I imagine it’s quite wonderful to sleep in especially during the colder nights approaching. I would like one myself if I didn’t have my own fur.”

At the touch of the cloak, the half-orc immediately snatched it from the firbolg. The half-orc clutched it with both hands and brought the dense fabric up to his face in relief. He breathed in its scent, but quickly brought the cloak down to his lap—still in his very tight grasp—apparently having remembered his manners.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49812813763/in/dateposted-public/)

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49813354916/in/dateposted-public/)

“Th-thank you. Very much.” The half-orc then made eye contact with the firbolg for the first time throughout their interaction. He looked at Caduceus from head to toe and then back to his face. His eyes narrowed to a squint before lighting up as if he was impressed by what he saw and gave Caduceus a wide-toothed smile, showing off the blunted ends of his tusks. 

Now admittedly, Caduceus was a common recipient of surprised looks. Not many people have encountered a firbolg in their lives, much less one with bright pink hair. It also wasn’t the first time the cleric had been examined over as being a member of an adventuring party, he and his friends were frequently tested as ally or foe. However, Caduceus couldn’t help but feel there was something more to this simple interaction than just returning a lost piece of clothing. 

Maybe the Wildmother would give him an answer later. 

“Caduceus, where are you?” Jester’s call pierced through the dreamy atmosphere they created right before the delight of the tavern visitors reached its peak. The bard must have finished. 

“Oh! I have to meet my friends.” Caduceus stepped back from the half-orc and with a parting smile to his new acquaintance he hurried to the table Jester was still standing on. 

“There you are!” Jester placed her hands on her hips in a scolding manner and jumped off the table. Her jokingly stern expression quickly melted into a smile. “What took you so long?” 

Caduceus hummed before answering. “Someone dropped a cloak and I returned it.”

Jester wiggled her eyebrows and cooed. “Are they cute?” She elongated the word cute and fluffed up her dress. “What’s their name?”

“I thought so.” The half-orc was quite handsome, more so when he smiled. The firbolg admired how tender the half-orc’s eyes became when he held his cloak, a complement to his scarred bulky figure. Caduceus tilted his head further in thought before remembering, “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself.” 

“Oh jeez, Caduceus. That’s like, the first thing you’re supposed to do when you meet a cute person.” Fortunately for Caduceus, Caleb called for their attention before Jester could give him any more romance tips.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the firbolg walked into the mesh of bodies and out of sight, Fjord’s face _burned_. The tavern’s heat began to suffocate the half-orc, so Fjord quickly shoved himself to the exit. He inhaled the refreshing air of the chilly night, but it wasn’t staving off the deep blush on his cheeks. 

“I’m such an idiot!” He screamed into his sealskin to muffle the noise. How could he have made such a dangerous mistake? 

**Always keep your skin with you.**

The first and most important rule Fjord had learned upon being cursed as a selkie. 

With his face still hidden in the sealskin’s wrinkled coating, Fjord knelt on the ground. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” If the firbolg hadn’t returned his skin, the half-orc would have been a slave forever. 

The adrenaline and anxiety were still shaking through Fjord’s core. He needed to be wrapped in his skin. Needed to be engulfed by its silky softness.

He needed to _swim_. 

The port town he currently stayed in was surrounded by stone-lined beaches. He wasn’t the only seal or selkie to have found a short-term home in its many coves. The half-orc raced to the beach while making sure he wasn’t being followed. He removed his armor and clothing and hid his belongings in a designated area he found the day before: a small cavity in the wall of the cove carefully hidden by a well-placed boulder. 

Once ready, Fjord climbed to the top of a small cliff. He tied the skin around his neck and took a running head start off the cliff’s edge. His body twisted as he dove and upon hitting the water’s surface, he was fully transformed. 

The half-orc turned seal zig-zagged through the ocean, careful not to stray too far from the shore. He had never craved the water as much as he did after becoming a selkie. Sure, he spent much of his childhood dreaming of sailing away, but only as a means to escape the orphanage. Now, he needed the water as much as he needed to breathe. He and other selkies could only achieve freedom and life in the deepest depths of the water far from the chaos at surface level. 

Fjord’s long glide screeched into a plunging halt. He almost lost his skin—his _soul_ today. It could have been all too easy. If it wasn’t the firbolg who had found his skin. If the firbolg was a bit too uncaring about returning others’ valuables.

Fjord would have been forced to live a life forever searching for his skin, to forever follow whoever had taken it. Forced to do whatever it takes to get it back. The lost sealskin would feel akin to being well, endlessly skinned alive. 

**Punish. Punish. Punish.**

The one-worded mantra pounded into his head. The resulting headache interrupted his swim. “Stop thinking. Stop thinking. It’s okay. It already happened. It’s okay.” Suddenly, the darkness of the water seemed to hide something much more sinister than wayward fish. 

Fjord swam back to land and flopped back to his hiding spot. He usually slept in his seal form to disguise himself amongst the sizable population of ordinary seals. 

As he calmed down, past memories sloughed off his mind like water and were replaced by a certain pink-haired firbolg. Fjord’s blush came back in full force. Now that he had worked off his fear, he had to face his newest dilemma. 

He was married! 

Well, according to selkie customs that is. But still! Married! 

Fjord didn’t even know the firbolg’s name and they were _married_. The half-orc rubbed his snout against a rock in exasperation. He knew nothing about the firbolg other than the fact he apparently liked the color pink and...plants? Fjord definitely remembered there was something plant-like growing tastefully along the armor on the firbolg's slim body. The half-orc couldn’t stop himself from forming a toothy smile. He never showed off his teeth—insecure about his tusks, so for him to smile widely in front of the firbolg…

The firbolg was just so nice! In the small amount of conversation they had, the firbolg’s calm voice was like a balm over his fear and anxiety. He wanted to melt in its grave tones and into the firbolg’s embrace. Fjord’s heart was racing at having to see the tall elegant figure again.

He needed to see him. To know his name. To know everything about him. 

Fjord resolved to go to sleep, find the firbolg the next day, and... tell him. 

Fjord did not sleep. His mind raced with thoughts of the firbolg. His body was equally as restless as he stroked his sealskin through the night wondering what it would be like to caress the firbolg’s long hair and fur. 

He hoped that he accomplishes the next task in his mental list. After shedding his sealskin and dressing into his clothes and armor, the half-orc marched back to the town center to look for the firbolg. 

Fjord flitted his eyes back and forth as he strolled through the town, looking into various shops and buildings, staying only long enough to confirm that the firbolg wasn’t in them. Fjord passed by a flower stand and then immediately stopped and walked back. The flowers were beautiful, but what captured his attention was a row of jewelry crafted entirely of flora. His eyes strayed to the ring section in particular. He didn’t know anything about firbolgs or their marriage customs, but he did know about human proposals. It wouldn’t hurt to have something to signify their marriage, right?

With a trembling hand, Fjord picked a ring made of a piece of twisted vine and topped with a pink flower he was unfamiliar with the name of. After being assured that the ring would magically resize to its new owner, he bought the well-crafted ornament, replying to the shopkeeper’s knowing smile with a shy tight-lipped smile of his own.

Okay. Step 1 of the proposal taken care of. Now Step 2: the actual recipient.

Fjord cradled the ring in a pouch he hung from his belt and continued to search for his new husband. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caduceus followed after Beau idly. He had no need to buy anything in town, preferring to see what his friends bought instead. 

They pair walked to the center of the town where a water fountain resided, ostentatiously designed with the types of fish the port town was famous for. The rest of the Mighty Nein were already there showing off their new items to each other. 

Caduceus was in the middle of complimenting Jester’s new ribbon when the tiefling brought his attention to someone behind him. 

The firbolg turned around, pleasantly surprised to see the half-orc from last night. “Hello.” Caduceus smiled in greeting and nodded to the half-orc’s cape over his shoulders. “I’m glad your cloak is doing well.”

The half-orc straightened and puffed out his chest. “Um, yes. Thank you again.” His eyes wavered towards Caduceus’s friends probably noticing their unsubtle attempts at eavesdropping. Jester was in fact still behind the firbolg’s tall form and upon realizing the half-orc was the “cute person” Caduceus had talked about, leaned even closer to hear better. 

“I’ve realized that I’ve yet to introduce myself. I am Caduceus Clay.” The firbolg cocked his head to the side. “And you are?”

The half-orc seemed to have lost his brevity, a bright blush overtaking his face. He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous, but grinning dazzlingly. “My name is Fjord. I...Caduceus…”

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49812813728/in/dateposted-public/)

Fjord took a deep breath, composed his face into a determined expression and presented a ring between two fingers. “Now, I don’t know anything about firbolg tradition, but I thought—I thought you would like this ring.”

Caduceus stared at the hydrangea-woven ring, enchanted by the idea of this gentle half-orc purposefully seeking him out. The firbolg wanted to reach out his hand to accept the gift. At the corner of his eye, he could see Jester’s eyes switching back and forth between the two, her mouth agape. He looked back at Fjord. “What’s it for?” 

The half-orc cleared his throat before answering. “I would like to marry you.” Fjord looked directly at Caduceus and his yellow eyes seemed to glow with conviction, knocking the breath out of the firbolg’s chest. A passing breeze blew by tousling Fjord’s hair and a vision of flora erupted behind the half-orc. A giggling chime rang in Caduceus’s ears weaving a tale of dedication and exhilarating waters. 

Upon Caduceus’s answering silence, the glow in Fjord’s eyes faded just as quickly as it appeared. The half-orc’s voice lowered into a bashful gruff as he awkwardly continued. “Uh..err. If you would have me, of course.”

It took a moment for Caduceus to realize what Fjord had just confessed to, the firbolg’s ears perked up and his eyes grew wide in shock. He flushed from head to toe. 

Chaos erupted around the couple punctuated by Jester’s squeal of excitement.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/169931266@N06/49813660717/in/dateposted-public/)

**Author's Note:**

> It was originally supposed to be a short comic until I got too lazy to draw more panels. I decided to supplement it with some writing, but then I just went a tad bit overboard. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it! (￣▽￣)ノ


End file.
